


The Desert Shark - one shot

by Quaralknight



Category: Naruto
Genre: Action/Adventure, Business, Comedy, Drama & Romance, F/M, Political Alliances, Reincarnation, Self-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:41:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27835426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quaralknight/pseuds/Quaralknight
Summary: They say money can't buy you happiness. They're right; Money is happiness. So lo and behold that I, the mild mannered gentlemen who runs the biggest corporation on Earth winds up dying only to become some weird eyebrow-less child in what could only be described as the most destitute place on the this new Earth. The issue; Too much government.So lets show them how I do Business.
Comments: 15
Kudos: 80





	The Desert Shark - one shot

**Author's Note:**

> Naruto is the property of Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing pertaining to this story and hope others will take inspiration from this work to pursue their own stories for me to enjoy.

**Chapter One: The Shark Surfaces**

It was the most bizarre thing Yashamaru had ever seen. He should have expected it. His nephew's strange behaviour was well known afterall. An intelligent mind that was sharp and focused. With said focus on things that were...difficult to place. He had been taking care of the boy since his birth. Acting as a parent to Gaara in the stead of his sister and the Kazekage. The way he would describe it was…

He couldn't think of a word.

Crazy could have been something to describe his nephew. But not in the traditional sense. Again, he had been with Gaara since birth, so the mannerisms that came out of the five year old seemed like they appeared out of thin air. No reason or evidence of how they came about. With the demon inside of him Yashamaru had initially thought it was the beast influencing him or the latent souls of the past hosts possessing the boy.

That theory was quickly blown up by such absurdity that no Yashamaru couldn't think of a single person who could have acted like this.

So today was going to be one to remember. The Kazekage had given permission for his son to roam around the village freely. His reasoning being to see how Gaara and the villagers would interact. With the underlying importance buried in whether the Sand Spirit inside him would attack any who tried to harm Gaara.

Yashamaru thought that Lord Rasa may be out of his depth when it came to his youngest son.

His eyes cast onto his nephew walking up to a group of gentlemen standing in front of a shop. Yashamaru glanced at them to be known merchants that sold metal wares and other metallic goods. In fact they were some of the providers for basic weapons that their forces used in training and missions.

Gaara strolled up to them in his nice red and yellow robes, hair combed nicely and a smile on his face. He looked like he was about to visit dignitaries or some noble at a party. It was what his nephew asked for when helping him get dressed today. Not something a boy would wear to go outside to play in.

That's why he knew Gaara wouldn't do anything remotely close to that.

"Gentlemen, I seek your wares and patronage. You will both bear witness to the moment on this cusp of what is my greatness! For in my possession lays the investment that shall help me conquer this entire world! Behold!" Gaara shouted out as he held a 1000 ryo bill. He held it up in both his tiny hands like it was some priceless artifact.

If there was any expectation in this situation it would be the one anyone in this village would realize. Both turned white as sheets. They took several steps away from Gaara, fearful to the point where they nearly clung to one another.

"L-Lord Gaara," one of them sputtered.

"Please, no need to be formal, my friends call Shukaku."

Yashamaru's eyes widened. His whole body began to tremble at such an open and poignant statement. Those thoughts on whether or not his nephew was truly possessed came back instantly.

The other merchant gasped. "Then you really are…"

"...Yes! I am here to purchase your wares," Gaara declared handing him the paper bill. "I'll need a long metal rod, roughly six feet long and a pair of metal prongs."

"Metal rod? Prongs?" One muttered looking at the bill. The man's fear was slowly being moved to confusion as he held it up. "I-I'm sorry but this won't cover it Lord...um, anyway, such a thing would be at least three times that amount."

Gaara folded his arms, shaking his head slowly and laughing at the man. "Oh sorry, my apologies. There seems to be a bit of confusion here, I was only planning to pay 500 ryo for everything. But if you think your goods are worth that whole bill, make my day. Enlighten me with how amazing they are."

Whether it was through some sort of professional confidence or just being insulted by someone who wouldn't know the value of items, the iron merchant hadn't a smidgen of fear in him now. Just a veiled reign on his growing irritation.

"I don't think the young master knows just how valuable my work is." The merchant defended. "My work is even sought after by your father."

Gaara shrugged, then guestered with his arms while looking around the village. "Yes I can see he's done a bang up job on making this place lively. Please allow me to get out of the way for all the customers to purchase these legendary wares you have."

Both men flinched. The borderline traitorous remark clearly wasn't something either of them expected. Even Yashamaru did a double take at his nephew's barbing of the village's state. While it was true their village was not as esthetically pleasing as some of the other hidden villages theirs was functional and could weather even the worst that the desert threw at them.

"Oh and my offer is now 400 ryo and dropping fast." Gaara pulled up his right sleeve, revealing a small watch strapped to his wrist. The boy even felt the need to vocalize this rapid depreciation. "Tic toc tic toc tic toc."

Yashamaru could barely stifle a laugh as the merchant suddenly looked panicked and off guard. His colleague started whispering in his ear. They were probably trying to come up with some way to explain to Gaara that such an amount wouldn't be practical for them.

"You fail to realize that the items you want took time and energy to make, young lord. If I started selling my wares at those prices I would be out of business by the end of the month. That's on top of the cost of the materials themselves." The merchant explained.

"So you have what I need, correct?"

"Well...yes."

"And right now it's sitting on your shelf collecting dust, taking up space and slowly corroding away."

"T-That's…But I can't sell it for such a low amount."

Gaara let out a massive sigh. He turned away from the two merchants as he rubbed his eyes. "There's no investment banks here. No, mutual funds or ventures. I even saw people here are even bartering with animals and produce," he muttered in a hunched tone. "This place truly is hell."

Slapping his cheeks, his nephew turned on his heel again. Walking back to the merchant and snatching his 1000 ryo bill back. "With that you just lost business. I would insult you further if I didn't feel sorry for you. So I'm going to help educate you on just what it takes to be a real businessman. Feel free to take notes while I do this."

Before the two could get a word in Gaara began pacing back and forth. Eyeing the merchant like he was prey. "Middle aged man, with a wife that's not around anymore. You inherited this shop from your father and have a child that's not too keen on taking over your family's shop. Your sales have been dropping since the last war so you were talking to your friend here," he gestured to the other man with his thumb, "because he was telling you about some other opportunity elsewhere. I'd even guess you were eventually planning to pack up shop and leave."

Yashamaru was a shinobi that valued proof when it came to such guesses. Certainly not while on a mission. He would have disregarded the whole thing his nephew said as mere speculation. It was conceivable that some of Gaara's guesses were true. Most shops here were generational. With many being here since the village's inception.

The merchant trembled. "H-How did you know? I never mentioned this to anyone yet. Have you been spying on me?"

"Hardly. I don't even know your name. The way you dress, the state of your shop, the pictures you have on your walls that don't show your wife anymore. Anyone with half a brain can see what your intent is. But what's even clearer to me is that it doesn't matter where you set up your business. You'll be doomed to fail once you do. There is a simple reason for that."

"A simple reason?" Both men were now engrossed by Gaara's observational skills and the wisdom he was displaying. It was even more impressive to Yashamaru who had never seen such powers of observation in one so young. He had thought his nephew was crazy. With this claim that he was called Shukaku, he was now more than certain that was the case.

Now there was this hidden talent.

"Yes. One that sets the best businessman apart from the average ones. You're looking for more opportunities, instead of creating them."

Both men looked at him with different expressions. Confusion on the metal merchants face but a more knowing one on the other.

"Let's use this situation as an example. Someone needs something from you but they don't have the money to pay for it; What did you do?"

"I...I um refused the transaction," the merchant replied.

"Yes exactly! But you still need money and your customer still needs your items, so how do you get around that?"

The metal merchant looked stumped. It was a strange question that even Yashamaru didn't get. His knowledge of business was non-existent. There wasn't any need to have such skills beyond negotiating for the sake of a mission. A situation like this would never have come up when something that needed to be acquired came with the price of potentially losing life or limb.

"You loan it out," the other merchant said. A very keen smile on his gruff face.

Gaara snapped his finger and pointed at the man. "You! You I would do business with. That's absolutely correct. Since customers can't buy you find out what they need your items for. Collect information and set up a system where they rent out your goods for a period of time and then they return it once you're done. Setting up collateral for the items, getting them back and building credit with repeat customers ensures recouped losses and retains customers. Best of all it's easier to repair used items than to make brand new ones. More cash flow for your store and a brand new opportunity for those interested in consumption without the hassle or worry of buyers remorse."

Both men and the odd stall owners nearby who happened to be listening were gaping at such a scheme. So meticulously thought out and derived in a manner that would actually work. In a sense Yashamaru could relate the system to mercenary work. Other countries not willing to invest the time and money to train their own troops would spend less on hiring outsiders. With less money they get the same effect and don't have to worry about losing their own citizens.

Only five years old and Lord Gaara was rationalizing deals like a Kazekage.

He would need to let Lord Rasa know about this.

"So...how much are you willing to part with those two items for...lets say a period of one month?" Gaara asked, holding out the bill again.

"You need a six foot long iron rod and metal tongs, correct?" The iron merchant sputtered at being blindsided as his friend took the bill from Gaara's hand. "I'll sell them to you for 1000 ryo and for a stake in whatever you plan to use them for."

His nephew smiled. "You know, it takes a truly ballsy man to claim a stake in a business that don't know anything about. Especially one poised by a five year old. For all you know I could be making a very elaborate lemonade stand. So it makes me wonder...You may look like a local but you're not from here are you?"

The man smiled, extending his hand to Gaara. "No I'm not. My name is Jirōchō Wasabi. My family runs Port Degarashi in the Land of Tea. I'm visiting this village because I'm looking for some metals that are rare to this land for some ships I plan to build. I apologise for being on edge around you before. I'm...aware of your condition, Lord Gaara."

"Condition? I didn't know being amazing was such a scary thing. This place is worse off than I initially thought."

Jirōchō laughed at his nephew's reply. Even he couldn't help but smile at how cute it was. Yashamaru has heard a VIP was visiting the Hidden Sand. The Wasabi family were said to have ties with the Land of Tea's Feudal lord. With Port Degarashi providing necessary goods for the village.

"Well, I truly was mistaken then Lord Gaara. So do we have a deal?"

Gaara hummed. "I don't know...this is some pretty special lemonade I'm making. How much of a stake does a well travelled man such as yourself Jirōchō Wasabi ask in a 100 million ryo idea?"

"100...Million!" Yashamaru blurted out. He snapped his mouth shut realizing his own outburst. He was normally so reserved and soft spoken that it even surprised him. It was just ludicrous to think Gaara had something that could make that much money. The number of missions that could help fund the village's dwindling amount since their Feudal Lord, Fusu, had slowly been cutting their villages budget since the end of the last war. It had gotten to the point where Lord Rasa was helping them get by through his ability to control and manipulate gold.

A bandage and crutch that wouldn't last forever.

He realized that Gaara and Jirōchō were looking at where he was hiding. His cover blown and now more interested in this than he planned he leapt over to them. Bowing he greeted the tall man with deference, making sure not to offend him.

"My apologies for spying. I am Gaara's uncle and caretaker, Yashamaru."

"I just call him Aunty." Gaara added embarrassingly. That had been an ongoing struggle since his nephew could speak. While it sounded affectionate at first, it appeared Gaara was adamant on referring to him as his aunt instead of uncle. Even after correcting the boy over and over again.

"You call him Aunty?"

Gaara waved his hand. "He's uncomfortably pretty - Helps me feel less awkward when I daydream about - forget it, it's not important! What is important is that Aunty here will be assisting me in this venture of mine! I'm hoping he knows fire magic."

.

.

.

.

"Fire magic?" Yashamaru asked.

"You know. Like how I can use sand magic and some others can use wind magic. What's confusing you about this? It's happening all around us."

Yashamaru managed a strained smile at his nephew's lack of knowledge. He was certain Lord Rasa helped to teach Gaara how to manipulate sand and what the source of power for shinobi was. The Kazekage's son referring to chakra as magic was...a bit disturbing.

"Lord Gaara I think you mean you need me to use Fire Style jutsu," he corrected.

"Yes, yes. This is a magical place with different names and whatknot. Let's forego the unimportant details and focus on answering questions Aunty. Can you do it or not?"

"Well it's not my primary element but I can do it if you need me to. Why though?"

"To make money of course. Why else would I need it?"

Jirōchō coughed loudly into his hand. Snapping them to attention from their conversation. "And just how do you propose to make this small fortune Lord Gaara? I'll admit 100 million ryo is no small sum. With that amount I could make a tidy fleet of vessels for transporting more goods."

Gaara smirked, digging into his pocket and pulling out a small bead. He flicked it into the large man's hands. "I'm sure you know what this is? Maybe even played with them as a child."

"Ah, yes. It's a marble."

Yes, that was it. It was a shabby looking ball that Jirōchō held between his fingers. It was a sickly yellow orb no bigger than half an inch in diameter. Nothing seemed overly special about. It was made of clay and stone, not even the nice clear glass that more recent ones were being made of.

"How much would you say that's worth?"

"How much...hard to say. Probably a single ryo," Jirōchō answered. "Maybe less."

"That sounds about right. Now how about this?" With another flick, a shinier object landed in Jirōchō's hands. Holding it up the comparison between the two was staggering. Instead of a shabby piece of clay or even a clear piece of glass was probably the most intricate piece of glasswork that Yashamaru had ever seen.

Inside the grey coloured glass were white dots that emulated the night sky. These surrounded another green-blue orb in the center of the sphere with a more noticeable white orb next to it. It was beautiful and comparable to that of a precious gem. The intricate work was a sight to behold.

"Amazing," the metal merchant breathed as he leaned in to get a better look. "It's the earth and moon."

"Now Jirōchō, how much would that be worth to you?" Gaara asked with a knowing smile on his face.

The man blinked several times. He was so engrossed in admiring it that it appeared he barely heard his nephew. Not surprising when he was captivated by the tiny world it held inside. "This...I don't know. How much would you be willing to part with this?"

"That? 100 ryo is fine."

"What! Really? It seems a shame to sell something like this for so little."

"Thanks but it's nothing special. Took me less than a day to make."

"Wait, you made this Lord Gaara?" The metal merchant asked. "Then you need the metal rod and tongs for glass making?"

"Correct! I plan to make a million of these little beauties within a single month. Each with their own patterns and designs. With them I'll make new games and adjustable jewelry for a bunch of different product lines. Even if those don't pan out I'm sure I could sell each one for at least 100 ryo bringing me up to a total of…"

"100 million," Jirōchō finished. Instead of returning the marble he handed Lord Gaara his 1000 ryo bill back. His tone and attitude became much more serious than before. Like he was staring at his nephew as though he was dealing with an actual noble. "Alright you have an investor, Lord Gaara. I shall help you in this venture. If you can make that many I have no doubt you'll reach that level of profit and go well beyond it. But you don't seem like the kind of person that would be satisfied by selling children's toys. I'm assuming this is just a first step for someone bigger?"

Yashamaru, for the first time in his life, felt undeniably small. His nephew - Barely the height of his knees - stood proud and confident like a king from legends.

"Obviously. The man running this Hidden Sand Village...company, or whatever nonsense he calls it, doesn't seem to know his head from his ass. You give me five years and I'll turn this place around to the point that people from all over the globe will flock here to seek fortunes and fame that they never thought possible. This barren desert will become a jewel that shines brighter than that shoddy piece of glass I made. So watch and beyond. I will become so rich and influential that there won't be a single thing I couldn't buy, on this green earth." Lord Gaara bent over, scooping up a handful of sand. "From these tiny grains I shall make something from nothing and build a tower of influence that reaches above all others."

"Lord Gaara..." Hearing his nephew's proclamation, Yashamaru could only shiver. A rising fire burning inside him as the words filled him with something never seen before within their lands since the first Kazekage; A true leader. One that didn't let their homeland be seen as a hindrance and a struggle, but rather a challenge and an opportunity.

Hearing it now, Gaara was not a monster that should be feared. No, he was their future Kazekage. The one that would finally change things.

"So I guess there's no time like the present. We have work to do."


End file.
